Embark on a journey of self-discovery to understand the essence of chakras and their role in restoring optimum holistic health and harmony.
Chakra, literally translated means “wheels of spinning energy”. Invisible to the eye, these spinning wheels of spiritual energy keep our bodies and spirits in balance. The chakras integrate the physical, psychological and spiritual facets of a person into a coherent whole.

The old scientific paradigm of relating health purely in terms of the ‘visible’ is now being superceded by an understanding of ‘truths’--that the mind, thoughts and actions create an aura that affect our functioning.

The aura is a surrounding field of energy, extending from the body. A smooth, steady flow of energy through the chakra system ensures a healthy aura.

The rainbow spectrum

Each chakra spins in a clockwise direction and is depicted by a colour. These whirling vortices of energy glow with the light of the spectrum, from red at the base to violet at the crown.

Location

There are seven chakras that correspond to nerve plexuses and endocrine glands in the physical body. Six of them are found along the spine and the seventh is located at the crown of the head.

The senses, emotions and basic instincts are also divided into seven categories and are associated with each chakra.

Function

Each of the seven chakras, has a unique characteristic and plays a vital functional role in our physical body as well as in our consciousness. The three lower chakras correlate to basic primary needs – those of survival, procreation and will. The four higher chakras correlate to the psychological make up and represent higher spiritual qualities such as love, compassion, and understanding.

Unlock the chakras

When in balance, life force flows freely in the system resulting in improved well-being. When unbalanced or blocked, the life force energy does not penetrate through that region resulting in physiological and psychological dysfunction.

Tension causes contraction of muscles, which leads to blocked energy pathways. Imbalances in these energy centers results in disease or ill-health. When you consciously start to release tension or stress, the pranic or vital energy flows more freely through the chakras.

As you begin to unlock the chakras, you will bring vitality and balance to the corresponding glands, nerve plexuses and mind.

Just as it is important to clear blockage from a pipe for the water to flow easily, so also it is essential to cleanse the channels of energy, for the life force to penetrate.

Chakra awakening

Awakening chakras is an attempt to remove negative energy, stress, tension and other obstacles from the system to bring the body, mind and emotions into a harmonious state.

When the subtle flow of energy through the chakras is undisturbed, the entire system functions better and can heal and replenish energy stores.

This energy can be chanellised for self-development, healing the body and mind and attaining attunement with the soul. This awakening of the chakras has a penetrating and regenerating effect on all systems.

In order to achieve spiritual progress it is necessary to awaken the chakras and release the cosmic energy present in them.

Interconnecting wheels

When all seven chakras are spinning in harmony, at the same speed, the whole system runs smoothly, as a single mechanism. These centres of “spinning energy” help maintain mental, physical, emotional and spiritual balance.

Kundalini

According to yogic philosophy, a store of spiritual energy lies dormant at the base of the spine, at the location of the muladhara or base chakra. This is referred to as kundalini – symbolizing a coiled serpent that rises up and travels through the chakras as we progress spiritually.

If this essential energy or kundalini is not awakened, spiritual evolution can come to a halt and can even regress.

This dynamic energy is known to the Yogis in India as Kundalini, to the Chinese asChi and to the Japanese as Ki.

Colour, mantras, meditation and asanas

Each chakra has a distinct vibration. Mantras, asanas, pranayamas, meditation, thoughts are some ways to unlock the chakras. The energy becomes subtler, finer and of a higher consciousness as it moves up from the base of the spine to the crown.